The new news 24 thread

[twosmoke300]

Trig , get those tyres out of the clingfilm and wedge some folded cardboard between the beads. They will be a right twat to blow up otherwise.

[Inspector Morose]

Well, the BX went up on the sleepers yesterday for a poke around and to start sorting one or two jobs. Firstly I was pleasantly surprised at how rot free (plenty of rust but no real holy rot) it was under there! A few bits need attention sooner or later to stop them in their tracks but even the rear of the sills are still solid! Wow!

 

Whilst under there, I applied more bodega onto the blowing exhaust joint to abate loud farting noises until I get round to doing it properly. Woo-hoo! Nearly new exhaust! Also a horrid rattle turned out to be a mounting tag hitting the body so sawage was applied and all is a bit quieter now.

 

Right, rear brake disks. Yes, well, erm, ah. To get them off, the calliper has to come off. They are held on, from what I can see, by two long bolts passing through the callipers themselves into,threads on the suspension arms. Bolt heads move but the threads didn't. As I didn't feel like stranding myself in the barn, that job was put off for when I bring my taps and dies along with a number of very long bolts. I know they'll snap, why tempt fate?

 

Over to the front disks then. Offside was changed without much drama but on taking off the wheel on the near side, I was met with a wheelarch full of LHM. Mild panic set in as I couldn't find the source of the leak. This was until sanity prevailed and I traced the wetness up to the highest point when upon I found a hole. A drain hole. From the bit under the bonnet where folks keep spare bottles of LHM in. Where the spare bottle of LHM was in with a loose top. Panic over. Disk changed and FPB sighs a phew of relief.

 

There is another proper LHM leak though. This was traced to the accumulator sphere at the front of the engine. It could be the seal but I might just change the sphere anyway as it's ticks are fairly frequent.

 

Other leaks I could see at the front were gearbox driveshaft output seal (meh), rocker cover gasket (meh, meh) and sump. It needs a goo steam clean before I can start to work my way through those, although a 1.9 out of another BX is up on 't bay and looks fairly dry. I might just heave it all out and replace with that. The rest of the car is good enough so I might but I'm lazy so I might not.

 

Whilst at the front I checked over the fuel pump. The cold running stat doesn't work and is set up wrong and it wasn't getting full throttle. A quick twiddle of the spanners here and the car picks up like it should (still glacial but it's all relative) the pumps nicely advanced timing wise and still doesn't smoke so a little more fuel might be in order when I get serious with the pump settings.

 

There is a fuel leak around the centre of the car which might be the steel feed pipe rotting, the rubber pipe from the tank or a combination of both. I'll probably probably replace all the way with plastic soon enough and so will cure that and the letting in of air too.

 

Turning inside, I like the pov spec light grey interior but it's not wearing too well. It's full of cracks, tears, gouges and is pretty filthy from years of use. I don't know what to do with it. If another interior came available I think it might have to be put into store as, with my use, it will get no better and probably much worse quickly. For the time being I'll put up with it and monitor with the occasional half hearted attempt at cleaning.

 

All in all, still chuffed to bits with it. It's all the car I've ever wanted, gets me from A to B cheaply and is wonderfully unpretentious whilst doing it. Might be a keeper, this one. Then again ask me next week. Or tomorrow.

 

That is all.

[trigger]

Cheers for the advice, I never thought of that. Trouble is I'm at work now until tomorrow... I actually went round a few garages this afternoon looking for someone to fit them, Nationals wouldn't touch them, most of the other big chains wanted nearly £60 even though their bays were empty and the mechanics were all standing around with their heads up their arses although ATS said they would to it tomorrow for £30 all in.

 

Whilst at the mot station I noticed they done tyres, I asked how much they changed and they said £5 a wheel, BARG, so I'll be getting them to fit them tomorrow.

[Richard]

 

Right, rear brake disks. Yes, well, erm, ah. To get them off, the calliper has to come off. They are held on, from what I can see, by two long bolts passing through the callipers themselves into,threads on the suspension arms. Bolt heads move but the threads didn't. As I didn't feel like stranding myself in the barn, that job was put off for when I bring my taps and dies along with a number of very long bolts. I know they'll snap, why tempt fate?

 

The bolts will snap for sure. You would be as well to order up a new set from Citroen, if it's the same as the Xantia they are M9 so not the kind of thing you'll have lying around. The reason they are so hard to undo is because corrosion grows between the caliper and hub and puts a bend in the bolts. You might even be better to grind the heads off the bolts and undo then with vice grips, they tend not to be too bad once the tension is off.

[cort16]

Best going to one of the part worn places they don't give a monkeys.

[Inspector Morose]

Yup, thought so. I could feel them twisting. M9 eh? They looked a lot like bloody long M10s but thanks for the heads up!

[Richard]

When I did the Xantia one came out, one snapped with a few mm showing, one snapped flush and one snapped sub-flush. The day before I was due to take it on holiday. I'm guessing with M9, they were bigger than 8 but smaller than 10, I've a feeling it's a finer thread than you would normally see. I'm sure a BX person will be able to clarify.

[HillmanImp]

As many of you may remember the Audi did this over 2 months ago. 

 

 

STILL not got the car back despite being to 2 garages as no fucker can figure out whats wrong with it. Its has a new ECU, cranks sensor (x2 apparently) and its still not running. 

 

Basically, if its not sorted by the end of the week its game over. However I have got another theory on how I can get it going. 

 

I have no room for any other cars. Therefore much like lighting a fag up the the bus stop, if I buy something to replace it, sods law will dictate it will suddenly start working again causing OMG PARKING KAOS

 

So, I am looking for something with a reasonable turn of speed with 3 pedals that drinks lots of fuel, is pre 95 (M reg or before). 

 

I have been looking at Saab 900's MR2s, MX5s Celica's, Corrados etc. Something I would have spunked my wad over 20yrs ago that I can get for about £500-£700 now. Can Autoshite make me think of anything else I might have missed that would totally rock my world within a hundred miles of Leeds?

[Cavcraft]

Corsa 1.0?

[EssDeeWon]

Cant believe 2 garages cant get that going, is there a VAG indy local to you HillmanImp?? 

[trigger]

Triumph Acclaim in British racing gold

[vulgalour]

Isn't FOAD considering selling his godawful totally amazing speed machine Allegro for a mere £500?  That should do the trick.

[dollywobbler]

Many things.

 

Don't bother changing the accumulator. They never leak and the tick time is fine. The leak will either be unions going into the regulator (if you're lucky) or the seals in the regulator itself. Most BXers file this under 'meh, I'll live with it.'

 

Replacing the interior may be tricky. It's a rare shade of grey only marketed for a year or 18 months or something. I've never seen another that shade.

[Inspector Morose]

Hmm. I like the greyness of that interior but..... Hmm. I'm just worried I'll wreck it if I'm not careful and that's just getting in and out of the car. Clean up and live with it I think.

 

The regulator leak. Once the front has had a good clean up (a clean engine bay cures half the oil leaks and makes the other half easier to find!) I'm sure it'll be the regulator. Another meh then! Come on, I work with Gardner engines and they 'ain't that leak free either!

 

On the plus side, while I was under there I had a look at the bottom engine mounting. Oil free and still good so that's one job I won't be swearing at for a while. The main noise on shut down was that exhaust hanger (cured) and there's something loose in the induction box on top of the engine. Another day.....

[Cavcraft]

I've just bought a new* car!

 

 

 

 

As you were...

[HillmanImp]

Cant believe 2 garages cant get that going, is there a VAG indy local to you HillmanImp?? 

 

That's where its at, Volksworks in Leeds. It was originally taken to the nearest garage (KD Bros who are well known to be shit but I had no choice) as RAC would not tow it without tax (despite me driving it to its MOT so that I would be able to tax it - Thanx RAC) but they were totally shite. A few days later I got it moved to Volksworks who sadly seem to have no idea either. Volksworks have been good over the years in my experience but I am not sure of they can be arsed with older stuff now, maybe they are just focussing on servicing taxis? 

 

If I have to get it over here to break it, as its over 13 miles home, I will drop it off at another local garage as a last ditch attempt but I am honestly not sure what to do with the fucker. Its annoying really. 

[crapcarcollector]

I've just bought a new* car!

 

 

 

 

As you were...

 

God that's grim.

 

Well dome.

[beko1987]

I'll show her your pm corsaviour, may persuade her!

[M'coli]

 

I have been looking at Saab 900's MR2s, MX5s Celica's, Corrados etc. Something I would have spunked my wad over 20yrs ago that I can get for about £500-£700 now. Can Autoshite make me think of anything else I might have missed that would totally rock my world within a hundred miles of Leeds?

Mazda 323 V6, Honda CRX etc..

[saucedoctor]

BORK! BORK! Actual Viking car, and British car with a Viking boat on it.

 

He's back! The Volvo V50 that my sister "bought" from me has been "given" back to me. She never actually got round to paying me for it, although she did get it MOT'd yesterday. I'm not sure who got the better end of the deal here, but I don't think it was me. Sis and B-I-L are getting a V70 D4 because they now have a caravan.

 

Fatha_Sauce's XF has royally shat it's gearbox, so he has my X Type for the time being. I feel like the world's most unprofitable car hire businessman at the minute.

 

Secretly v. happy, though, as I really like this Moose mobile. I hereby apply for associate membership of the SVM, on the basis that on a clear day like today, I can actually see Scotland.

[cms206]

BORK! BORK! Actual Viking car, and British car with a Viking boat on it.

 

He's back! The Volvo V50 that my sister "bought" from me has been "given" back to me. She never actually got round to paying me for it, although she did get it MOT'd yesterday. I'm not sure who got the better end of the deal here, but I don't think it was me. Sis and B-I-L are getting a V70 D4 because they now have a caravan.

 

Fatha_Sauce's XF has royally shat it's gearbox, so he has my X Type for the time being. I feel like the world's most unprofitable car hire businessman at the minute.

 

Secretly v. happy, though, as I really like this Moose mobile. I hereby apply for associate membership of the SVM, on the basis that on a clear day like today, I can actually see Scotland.

 

SVM Status: Approved. A free Volvo is even gooder than a £15 Volvo and by that measure alone you are the winnest.

[cort16]

Hermanimp are you just so ball deep in this Audi now with the ECU's and what not you can't just weight it in?

Sounds like it's given up and just dignitased itself.

[Cavcraft]

 

Don't blame me for the tidal wave of birds fizzing at the bunghole in the West Cheshire are this afternoon.

[vulgalour]

I begin to wonder if the reason I find those Picassos so utterly unappealing now is purely down to the sorts of people usually seen piloting them and scutting the place up.  I really quite liked them when they first came out.

[trigger]

I can't compete with the milf hunter above but just got back from having my Civics tyres changed.



Going back to 2smokes comment the garage had a few issues as they had been crushed, presumably under piles of other tyres in storage, they couldn't get the bead to seal so ended up ramming seat covers in them, pumping them up which helps seal them them then letting the air out and removing the covers again.

They only charged me £30 cash so all in all the full set has cost me £145 which is cheap enough, the car feels nicer and more quiet on the road now too. Result!

[beko1987]

I begin to wonder if the reason I find those Picassos so utterly unappealing now is purely down to the sorts of people usually seen piloting them and scutting the place up.  I really quite liked them when they first came out.

I'd try to reverse that trend if SWMBO gets one. It'll be cleaned, polished and waxed, the original oil changed, I;d check the brakes over, clean it out inside, check the filters etc.

 

After which point I expect it will be too much for the poor thing and it'll shit itself...

[dollywobbler]

Attendees of the Shitefest museum visit may well remember how 'lovely' the sort of people who own Picassos are.

[trigger]

Oh yes, I remember the scum in this one, watching them throw all their shit on the ground under the car and the crap all over the dash inside it.

 

[HillmanImp]

Hermanimp are you just so ball deep in this Audi now with the ECU's and what not you can't just weight it in?

Sounds like it's given up and just dignitased itself.

 

I have no idea what I owe on it, I am just bored of not having it anymore. I am probably going to weigh it in at this rate as am looking for something else anyhow.

 

Its just been annoying as I have not been able to get anything else whilst I waitied in case it came back but that time has gone in my eyes and something else is going to be bought shortly I think.

[cort16]

I have no idea what I owe on it, I am just bored of not having it anymore. I am probably going to weigh it in at this rate as am looking for something else anyhow.

 

Its just been annoying as I have not been able to get anything else whilst I waitied in case it came back but that time has gone in my eyes and something else is going to be bought shortly I think.